HOT WIRED

Hardware which just works is what every user wants. Current Linux distributions go a long way to fulfilling that dream. In this article, we will be investigating how the hotplug system works.

Is it really that difficult? You only wanted Linux to launch the right program when you attached your new digital camera, but the operating system has decided to sit this one out. This scenario is all too common, although the situation has started to improve. Linux should handle any kind of hardware correctly, but the ability to manage USB and Firewire devices plugged in or unplugged while the computer is running (known as hotplugging [1]) has become increasingly important. This article explains what a modern Linux system does with the devices you attach to it, and why not everything works as planned.

Debian hotplug is designed for little more than loading drivers and configuring devices. The collection of scripts discussed in this article helps Linux to respond when a network cable is plugged in or when a cellphone is in the vicinity. Read on for more on how to define custom hotplug events.